Sometimes, we learn various life-lessons when we are drawn to other people’s experiences and their difficulties in life. Reading another person’s story helps us to deal with our own struggles while assisting us better understand our own life story. Many memoirs are moving, and offer some graceful lessons to readers; however, some authors also entertain us while showing new vistas.
The purpose of this specific genre, memoir, is to take readers to a new place so they can see the world from a different perspective and vantage point. This is always very helpful for all who explore memoirs, as the selection of memoirs depends strictly on the readers’ individual choices.
This blog will give a very interesting list of best memoir books, but first, we begin with the actual meaning of memoirs and some other useful aspects related to memoir books.
Memoir Books – Definition
In general, a memoir is a nonfiction book based on the author’s life – most probably about a specific time period. Memoir books are always true stories, and these books are meant to be intensely personal. In these books, readers find some kind of perception of or lessons learned from the past time of the author. If you choose a memoir, you’re guaranteed to learn about the author’s story in his own words.
The Most Popular Type of Memoir
In this creative nonfiction narrative, the author chooses the type of memoir on the basis of their individual story; however, the story is then constructed as per the type of memoir chosen so that readers from all walks of life can relate to it. There are 7 types of memoirs, which are listed below:
- Confessional memoirs
- Personal memoirs
- Portrait memoirs
- Professional memoirs
- Public memoirs
- Transformational memoirs
- Travel memoirs
Among these distinctive types, personal memoirs are believed to be the most popular type. Basically, readers have a glimpse into the writer’s personal life in a certain segment of time. This memoir can be about any life event, adventure, illness, fight, or anything.
Difference between a Memoir and an Autobiography
When an author writes about his entire life from beginning to end, this piece of nonfiction work is said to be an autobiography. However, the major difference between a memoir and an autobiography is that the author shares memories from a specific time period in memoirs, but autobiographies are factual and historical accounts of one’s life. From the readers’ point of view, autobiographies tend to be more factual and objective than memoirs, as these writings are more emotional, intense, and subjective.
A List of 10 Best-Selling Memoir Books to Read in 2024
In the memoir genre, you can find a variety of the best memoir books of all time. If you want to get your hands on some of the best memoir books to read in 2024, then this blog will be a great source. And believe it that you can’t go wrong with the below listed picks. So, let’s begin!
“Never Underestimate a Dreamer” by Fred Engh
Fred Engh ignites your passion and your belief in your dreams through his spellbinding memoir, “Never Underestimate a Dreamer.” This book is based on Ted Zeng’s life, he always wanted to be a football coach, but due to lack of background, he didn’t get enough chances to prove himself. As a sports fanatic, Ted wanted to pursue his dreams by defying all odds.
However, this true tale will leave you impressed as this tale strengthens your faith in your dreams. From this wonderful and inspirational memoir, you learn the value of believing in yourself while attaining what you want with courage and determination. There is another important aspect of this story is to be positive despite all odds in life. Ted’s journey is moving for all, as Fred targets readers from all walks of life.
So, make your dreams accomplishable while grabbing this amazing memoir by Fred Engh!
“How to Live Free in a Dangerous World” by Shayla Lawson
Shayla Lawson, from her open-handed way of narration, reveals her lessons learned as well as the trials she faced in life, in her latest memoir, “How to Live Free in a Dangerous World”. In this multifaceted book, several aspects of life have been highlighted by Shayla such as issues of gender identity, relationships, friendships, disability, and race. Through this wonderful memoir, the author wants to transform readers’ perceptions about the far-ranging journey of life.
“All Over but the Shoutin’” by Rick Bragg
This personal memoir reveals the challenging life of Rick Bragg and his family. Readers will also learn about Bragg’s upbringing, which didn’t suggest a successful career. On the other hand, this is a story of resilience and honesty, in which the author gives an honest and artistic account of people who helped him and nourished his family members while suppressing their personal growth.
“Educated” by Tara Westover
If you’re searching for some factual reads based on an astonishing journey of self-discovery and improvement against all the odds, “Educated” by Tara Westover is the one that reveals the dark childhood of Tara. Her story exposes the dark secrets of her life, such as she was an Idaho native and spent her life in isolation in the mountains, far away from society. Until she was 17, she lacked formal education due to her life of isolation. She was passionate enough for knowledge, for which she defied all her peculiar circumstances to reach where she wanted to be and complete her Ph.D.
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
In the list of top memoir books, Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” stands out because this book recounts the abhorrent racism the author and her family faced. This story further reveals some traumatic experiences of Maya in the form of sexual violence at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend. By facing all these challenges, she came out even stronger than ever through her love of literature.
“The Dead Don’t Need Reminding” by Julian Randall
This book is one of the best memoir books by Julian Randall, who showcases his range and generosity as a writer again in this read. From the unflinching excavation of family history and mental health struggles to legacy and loss, Julian reflects his narrative in the most enthralling and incisive manner.
“How We Fight for Our Lives” by Saeed Jones
Are you looking for a short read that has something inspirational for you to learn? If yes, “How We Fight for Our Lives” by Saeed Jones is a great read with a distinct style. Saeed Jones writes about his life’s struggles about coming of age as a young, black, gay man from the South. You’ll find some interesting themes in this searing memoir about grief, about identity, and about acceptance.
“Love Is a Burning Thing” by Nina St. Pierre
Referring to the sensitive topic of mental illness, Nina St. Pierre presents one of the memoir books to read that is basically a daughter’s reckoning about her quest to understand her mother’s mystery. In this memoir, Nina explores the mysticism and the untreated mental illness of her mother and how the indictment of the system failed their family legacy.
“Woman of Interest” by Tracy O’Neill
This heart-wrenching memoir will make you feel the intensity of Tracy’s emotions when she is suddenly consumed by the fear that her unknown birth mother might be dying alone in Korea when thousands of people around the world succumb to Covid. To solve this mystery, Tracy seeks out a private investigator and eventually travels all the way to the other side of the world to learn more about her. This book lies in two categories: memoir and detective genre.
“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert
In the list of top memoir books in the travel category, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert thrives because it is all about a journey of self-exploration, despite having everything blessing, including a successful career, a successful marriage and a home in the US. In this travel memoir, readers will learn different teachings and cultures of various countries along with universal wisdom.
Final Thoughts
In this list, best memoir books of all time have been combined and presented for the readers who love to explore this genre. You can choose any book because every story has a unique narrative with factual learnings and lessons. Happy reading!